When GDA members joined the late Tony Benn to march in defence of our public services, in 2011, they wore purple rain ponchos to stay dry and stick together. ‘Named after a rainy day’ as former Makar Liz Lochead once described us, GDA’s Purple Poncho Players are now the theatrical wing of our Drivers for Change.
Our ‘Triple Ps’ use music, comedy and gritty drama to convey their real life experiences of barriers and oppression, to challenge and invoke audiences to act to build a better world.
The Purple Ponchos shy away from nothing, tackling every subject from Hate Crime to democracy, austerity, and commodes. They have performed in the Scottish Parliament, and Glasgow City Chambers, with their biggest audience so far a crowd of 2000 international delegates at the British Medical Journal conference at the SEC, receiving a standing ovation from all, including the First Minister.
Take a peek behind the scenes – watch our Purple Poncho’s Film to find out more!:
Since April 2020, our Purple Poncho Players have been rallying together online, with support and equipment from GDA Connects. Here is one of their lockdown creations, the Self Isolation Blues:
